Jodi Benson
Jodi Marie Benson (née Marzorati) is an American actress, voice actress, and soprano singer who is best known for her starring role as Ariel in Disney's highly-successful animated feature film, The Little Mermaid. History Jodi Benson was born as Jodi Marie Marzorati in Rockford, Illinois, United States to a catholic family. In 1989, Benson (working as a Broadway star at the time) made her theatrical debut as Ariel in The Little Mermaid. The filmmakers felt that it was necessary to have both Ariel's speaking and singing voices done by the same person, and therefore considered her a perfect candidate. She also briefly voiced Vanessa (Ursula's human alter ego) on behalf of Pat Carroll. Benson's vocal talents were given critical acclaim from a wide variety of film critics. It was for this film that she recorded her signature song "Part of Your World", which audiences around the world have grown to know and love. The success of The Little Mermaid spawned an animated TV series in the mid-90s, followed by two direct-to-video sequels (the first in 2000 and the second in 2008). Benson has continued to reprise her role as Ariel in most Disney-related media, including the animated television series House of Mouse (in which she also voiced Belle from Beauty and the Beast on behalf of Paige O'Hara). Benson is also famous for voicing several other Disney characters from various films and television series, including Weebo in Flubber, Barbie in Toy Story 2 and 3 as well as Hawaiian Vacation, Helen of Troy in the ''Hercules'' TV series and Zero to Hero, Lady in Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure, and Anita in 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure. In 2007, Benson even landed a supporting role as Sam in Enchanted, which remains one of Benson's few live-action film roles to-date and her only Disney-related one. In August 2011, Benson was honored as one of the Disney Legends alongside the Disney Princess voice actresses Paige O'Hara, Linda Larkin, Lea Salonga, and Anika Noni Rose. In addition to reprising her role as Ariel in Ralph Breaks the Internet and the Sofia the First special "The Floating Palace", Benson also voiced Queen Emmaline. Additionally, she voiced a character in the Phineas and Ferb episode "Tales from the Resistance: Back to the 2nd Dimension". She appeared as herself in The Wonderful World of Disney: The Little Mermaid Live! Outside of Disney, she is well-known for voicing Jane Doe and Patsy Smiles in the series , in , Tula in the animated series , the title character in , and Thumbelina in Don Bluth's 1994 animated film of the same name. Additionally, she took over the voice role of Jenna in the sequel films, Balto II: Wolf Quest and Balto III: Wings of Change. Disney Roles Ariel-1.png|'Ariel' (The Little Mermaid franchise, Sofia the First, and Ralph Breaks the Internet) Vanessa. Jpg|'Vanessa' (The Little Mermaid) Ladydisney.png|'Lady' (Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure) 101dalmatians 150.jpg|'Anita Radcliffe' (101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure) Belle2.jpg|'Belle' (House of Mouse; in tandem with Paige O'Hara) Weebo.png|'Weebo' (Flubber) HelenTroy.jpg|'Helen of Troy' (Hercules: The Series) Atta.png|'Atta' (A Bug's Life; video game) Barbie_Toy_Story_3.png|'Barbie' (Toy Story franchise) Unnamed Lady.png|'Unnamed Lady' (Phineas and Ferb) Emmaline.png|'Queen Emmaline' (Sofia the First) Lastelle's Mother.jpg|'Lastelle's Mother' (Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind; Disney dub) Sam.jpg|'Sam' (Enchanted) Nasira.jpg|'Nasira' (Disney's Aladdin in Nasira's Revenge) StarvsEvil Singing Teacher.png|'Singing Teacher' (Star vs. the Forces of Evil) Healing Fairy.jpg|'Healing Fairy' (Secret of the Wings) Amber O'Malley.jpg|Amber O'Malley (Pepper Ann) Gallery Jodi Benson behind the scenes TLM.jpg|Jodi Benson behind the scenes of The Little Mermaid. Howard Ashman with Jodi Benson recording.jpg|Howard Ashman giving helpful supervisions on Jodi Benson's recording of "Part of Your World". TLM-C.jpg|Jodi Benson with Pat Carroll, Tara Strong, Buddy Hackett, and Samuel E. Wright at the premiere of The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea in October 2000. Jodi Benson TLM3 premiere.jpg|Jodi Benson at premiere of The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning in August 2008. Jodi Benson TS3 premiere.jpg|Jodi Benson at premiere of Toy Story 3 in June 2010. Jodi Benson Disney Legend.jpg|Jodi Benson named a Disney Legend in May 2011. Pat Carroll Little Mermaid Reunion Jodi Benson.jpg|Jodi Benson with Pat Carroll in Disneyland in June 2011. Benson family.jpg|Jodi Benson with her husband, Ray and their two kids: Delaney and McKinley in September 2013. JodiBenson D23Expo 2017.jpg|Jodi Benson attending the D23 Expo 2017. Disney+Princess+Voice+Actresses+D23+EXPO+2017.jpg|Jodi Benson along with other Disney Princess voice actresses, and Sarah Silverman, at the D23 Expo 2017. Jodi_Benson_SLCC.jpg|Jodi Benson speaks at the 2017 Salt Lake Comic Con. Jodi Benson WBTI premiere.jpg|Jodi Benson at premiere of Ralph Breaks the Internet in November 2018. Category:Singers Category:1960s births Category:Disney Legends Category:Actresses Category:The Little Mermaid Category:House of Mouse Category:Kingdom Hearts Category:Disney Fairies Category:Females Category:People Category:People from Illinois Category:Sofia the First Category:Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom Category:Hercules Category:Annie Award Nominated Category:Phineas and Ferb Category:A Bug's Life Category:Lady and the Tramp Category:Disney Renaissance Category:101 Dalmatians Category:Toy Story Category:Enchanted Category:Whispers An Elephant's Tale Category:Pixar actors and actresses Category:Studio Ghibli Category:Star vs. the Forces of Evil Category:American people Category:Flubber Category:Voice actresses Category:Wreck-It Ralph Category:Peter Pan Category:Aladdin Category:Kinect Disneyland Adventures Category:Video game voice actors Category:Disney Revival Category:Disney Junior Actors and Actresses Category:Disney Channel Actors and Actresses Category:The Disney Afternoon Category:Fox Category:Disney XD Actors and Actresses Category:Performance models Category:Playhouse Disney